Road to Redemption
by REIDFANATIC
Summary: Spoiler for Revelations. A enforced vacation lands Reid on a road trip where he gets pulled into a murder case among other things. ReidOC
1. Chapter 1

The sun shone brightly through the trees as he started up his SUV and made his way to the interstate. This is not what he thought he would be doing on this clear June morning. Spencer Reid thought he would be back at work as a profiler for the BAU but instead here he was traveling down the highway going who knew where. He had seen the FBI psychiatrist and he had reports from his drug councilors that said he was clean and ready to return to work but it appeared that Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner had other ideas. When he went to the office to present his evaluations to his supervisor before his return to work, Hotch said he felt Reid needed more time off and insisted that he take some of the vacation time that he had accumulated.

"_But Hotch, I don't need any more time off, I want to return to work"_

"_I know you do Reid." Hotch replied "but you have been through quite an ordeal with the kidnapping, the drug addiction and then rehab. I think you need a little more time to get back to where you were before this happened."_

"_Hotch, the psychiatrist and the drug councilors both agree that I'm okay to return to duty."_

"_I am well aware of that Reid, I have read their reports. I am also aware that you are so well versed in psychology that you could easily tell a psychiatrist what he wants to hear. I'm not saying you did this but you have enough knowledge to conduct psych evaluations, I feel you probably have no difficulty passing one._

"_Hotch! Maybe you just don't trust me anymore, is that it. Maybe you think because I lied about using the drugs, that I'm lying about being clean. Well, don't worry, I won't be able to hide it now, remember I have to pee in a cup every week probably for the rest of my career."_

"_Look Reid, take a week okay, just a week, that's not a long time. Just relax and recharge your batteries. This discussion is over."_

Right now, driving along the Virginia blacktop with no particular place to go, a week seemed like an eternity. He stopped at a truck stop for some coffee and thought he better make a decision about where he was going to go. There was a display of maps for nearby states and he closed his eyes and picked one at random. This was not the way Spencer usually made decisions. Anyone who knew him would have laughed at him closing his eyes and picking a destination. Spencer Reid, genius profiler for the FBI, with an IQ of 187 always made decisions logically and with a great deal of thought. Well, that was before he was taken prisoner by Tobias Hankel in Georgia and had been tortured physically, emotionally and psychologically. Since then his decision making had not been stellar. So here he was in a truck stop holding a map of, he slowly turned it over, Kentucky.

As he proceeded westward, Reid went over in his mind some of the things he knew about Kentucky.

_15__th__ state of the union_

_The bluegrass state_

_From the Iroquoin word Ken-tah-ten meaning land of tomorrow_

_State bird-cardinal, state flower-goldenrod, state tree-tulip poplar_

_State motto-United we stand divided we fall _

_Capital city-Frankfort Major cities- Louisville, Lexington_

_Noted for tobacco whiskey and, of course the best horse flesh in the country_

_And Mammoth Cave National Park and that he decided is where he'd go._

That decided, he pulled over and studied the map more closely, planning a route for his journey. Although he tried to concentrate on what he would see and do while in Kentucky, his mind kept returning to Quantico, to the FBI, to his team, his family. The team had been dumbfounded by his Dilaudid addiction. They knew his ordeal with Tobias was unlike anything any of them had ever experienced, but they somehow expected him to be stronger in dealing with it. Gideon, as always, had been a stalwart source of strength. He had of course, been disappointed, as Reid knew he would. It was his biggest regret, that he had disappointed the man who had been a mentor and father figure to him since they had met over four years ago.

"_Thank you all for attending, I hope I gave you something to think about." Students started filing out of the lecture theatre. "Excuse me," Gideon said as he approached Reid and extended his hand, "Jason Gideon, you had some very interesting questions. Are you interested in the field of profiling?"_

_Reid took the proffered hand and shook it "Dr. Spencer Reid, it's an honor to meet you."_

"_Doctor," Gideon replied, surprised._

"_Yes," Spencer responded, "I have two Phd's and am working on my third. As for profiling, it's not really something I had thought a lot about but it does sound like an interesting profession."_

"_Would you like to have a cup of coffee and talk," Gideon asked. "I was very interested in your questions and I feel you have the mindset and talents that are invaluable in a profiler."_

_Reid found himself smiling at the older man, "I'd like that," he said._

They had come a long way in four years and Reid hoped that the decisions he had made after his ordeal in Georgia, would not affect his relationship with the man he considered a father. No, that couldn't happen, he wouldn't let it happen.

Like Gideon, Hotch had been stunned when he found out Reid had been injecting himself with Dilaudid. With Hotch, emotions were always difficult to gauge. Hotch kept his feelings so tightly in check, it was very hard for Reid to tell where things stood with him. He had been disappointed and angry and there was something else that Reid couldn't quite identify but saw in Hotch's eyes whenever he looked at his supervisor. Maybe, in time, he would let Reid in on his feelings. Reid felt he'd have to wait until, if ever, Hotch was ready to reveal these emotions.

Morgan, his best friend, had looked like he wanted to go and throttle someone, but since Reid had already taken care of the bastard he felt was responsible, he just paced around like a caged tiger, wanting to punch walls and break things. Eventually he had let his anger and hurt erupt on Reid, asking how Reid could have let this happen. Didn't he know the damage that could be done, especially considering his family history? Didn't he know that the older profiler was always there for him, that they all were? Didn't Reid know, as Morgan's tears started falling, that Reid was a brother to him? Didn't he know how much he loved him, how much they all did? With the tears continuing to fall he gathered Reid into an embrace and held him like he would a child, reassuring him that they would all get through this together.

JJ, oh JJ, she was an entirely different matter, altogether. Instead of blaming Tobias or Reid, himself or even the fates, she took the blame for Reid's situation on herself. Reid had tried to get her to understand that none of what happened was her fault but JJ felt that if she had had his back, none of this would have happened. He admitted that he was the one who chose to separate and he was the one that ran into the corn field, leaving her, although he didn't know it at the time, in peril of the dogs. But nothing he said then or since could convince her that all that had happened to him wasn't her fault. He could see in her eyes every time he looked at her, a sadness that had not been there before, and it was killing him to think that he was the one that put it there.

Poor Emily had borne the brunt of all the worst side effects of his Dilaudid addiction. He had been rude to her and, on occasion, downright nasty. He had spoken harshly to her and had lied to her. She took it early on and believed, just as everyone had, that he had a case of PTSD. She soon grew weary of his poor treatment of her; who could blame her, Reid thought. She had been the first person to call him on his behavior, probably because she didn't have the same emotions invested in their relationship as the others. When the truth came out she almost looked as if she now understood what had precipitated the bad behavior and would be willing to forgive and start over, for which Reid was grateful.

Lastly, there was Garcia, who had been the one sitting in front of the computers, having to watch every moment of what had taken place in Georgia, or at least all that Tobias would allow to be seen. She fell apart after finding out what had happened to Reid in the aftermath of the kidnapping. Her usual jovial outlook disappeared and she seemed to feel that if something like this could befall her precious Reid, what hope was there in the world. However, once the team got together and decided they were going to get through this with him together and her sunny outlook was much needed for his recovery, she bounced back somewhat, although none of the team would ever look at the world in quite the same way again.

With thoughts of his team uppermost in his mind, he realized that he had traveled a fair distance and up ahead he saw a roadblock with a detour due to road construction. Oh just my luck, he thought, turning onto the detour road. He didn't know exactly what road he was on as he hadn't seen any signs but he kept driving confident that there would be a sign soon letting him know exactly where he was. He suddenly slammed on the brakes. What the hell was that in the middle of the road?


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N** I do not own Criminal Minds. Sorry I forgot to include that in my first chapter. I will try to remember in future.

Special thanks to mablereid for all her help and encouragement.

Brookdale is a fictional town.

Hopefully a bit of comic relief here! Enjoy!

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Reid couldn't believe what he was staring at. There, in the middle of the road stood a very large cow. It was black and white and looked just like something off a milk carton, and it was completely blocking the road. Reid honked his horn, sure that that would make the animal move, but she just stayed glued to where she was. Reid thought that if he drove a little closer, it would scare her and she'd move, so he slowly eased his SUV forward a little. Nothing. He decided maybe if he got out of his vehicle and tried to coax the cow, he could get her to move, but that too was to no avail. All the animal did was look at him as if he had lost his mind. Considering he was standing in the middle of a Kentucky road trying to reason with a bovine roadblock, he wasn't sure that that wasn't the case. Since this road was about half the size of the highway and had ditches on both sides, he was not able to get around the animal either. Suddenly all that had happened to him in the last few months and the sheer insanity of his present predicament all came crashing down on him and in total frustration, he stood in the middle of that road, lifted his arms to his side, looked skyward and in a pleading voice yelled, " **Beam me up Scotty**."

Having gotten that out of his system, he decided if he could not go forward, he would go back. He had seen a gravel road, a little ways back and he thought if he went down there, he could hook up with a road that would take him past his present point. He went back to the gravel road and turned onto it, traveling down it until he came to a dilapidated farmhouse. He stopped the SUV and started to get out, thinking that maybe this is where the cow belonged and maybe these people could move it off the road. He was soon accosted, however, by a large, rather fierce looking coonhound that was growling and bearing its sharp teeth at Reid. The dog was soon followed by a woman: Reid thought to be in her sixties, wearing a black dress covered with a white bib apron, her gray hair pulled back in a tight bun. "Down Jasper," she said loudly to the dog, who thankfully quit growling and bearing his teeth at Reid and went back to his post on the porch. Behind her came an elderly man dressed in very tattered pants, shirt and jacket. The sight of these two made Reid feel that he had been plopped down in the middle of a Grant Wood painting but instead of holding a pitchfork, the man was holding a sawed off shotgun and it was pointed right at Reid.

"Ya know yer trespassin don't ya sonny." The old man said in a raspy voice, keeping his hands steady on the shotgun and giving Reid a toothless grin.

Reid raised his hands, wishing that his sidearm wasn't in his glove compartment. "Uh, sorry, I was just driving on the road up there and had to change direction because there's a cow blocking the road and I couldn't get her to move."

"Did you say a cow?" the woman replied. "What did it look like?"

"Well," Reid said, "It was black and white."

"Oh for God's sake Errol, how many times have we told those boys to fix that break in the fence? Merril, Daryl, get out here now." the woman yelled.

Two men in their thirties, who were obviously twins, appeared from the barn area, and ran up to the couple. "It seems one of them cows got loose cuz ya never fixed the fence. Git up to the road and bring 'er back now," the woman demanded.

"Yes Mama," they both responded in unison, and took off down the gravel road in a rusty old pick-up truck.

"Now Carol, don't always be so hard on them boys,"

Reid was still standing with his hands raised although Errol had now lowered the gun perceiving that Reid was not a threat. "Ya can put yer hands down sonny, I ain't gonna shoot ya." Reid lowered his hands and the man carried on, "It'll take them boys a while and it's almost suppertime, ya may as well come in and have some supper."

"Oh no, really, I should be getting on my way but thank you for the offer." Reid replied.

"Nope, yer here, ya might as well have supper, I got a big pot of stew cookin and honey, you look like ya could use a good meal," the woman insisted.

Reid entered the farmhouse with the couple and he was met with the most wonderful smells, he'd ever experienced. The house was very old as were all the furnishings. The delightfully smelling stew was cooking on a very old stove and the aroma of freshly baking buns was wafting from the oven. On the warming oven were three pies that looked positively delicious. Reid noted that although the furnishings were old and threadbare, the house was spotless and well cared for. Whatever he had been expecting, this was not it. Carol removed the buns from the oven and set them to cool. Reid's mouth was watering at the sight of them. She began to set the table and refused Reid's offer of help. One of the sons, Reid couldn't say which one, arrived back with the truck while the other was leading the wayward bovine home. The family decided not to wait for Merril, so Errol said grace, thanking the Lord for their meal, each other and the new friend that was at their table. He also asked that the Lord watch out for Reid on his journey. The meal was as delicious as the aromas had predicted and Reid ate more than he had in a long time. When he left, they asked him to stop in on his way back and he said he would try. Carol gave him some buns to eat on his journey and he got back on the road with a smile on his face.

Reid continued driving until darkness fell over the Kentucky landscape, and he watched the sun set in the west with a beautiful display of varying shades of yellow red and purple. When he drove into the little town of Brookdale, he decided to rest for the night. He thought he'd stop at a diner for his much loved coffee, before he went looking for a room. There was only one other person in the diner when he entered. He sat at the counter and ordered a cup of coffee from the waitress. She was about twenty, Reid guessed, with long brown hair cascading down her back, warm brown eyes and a wide mouth with full lips that opened into a welcoming smile. All in all a very pretty girl Reid noticed. An older woman came from the back of the diner and appeared to be the girl's mother. Since they were not busy they started talking to Reid.

"So, you're not from around here, where do you hail from? "The older woman inquired.

"Oh Mom, do you have to know everything about everyone who walks in here?" The young woman replied although to tell the truth, she was rather interested herself in the handsome guy with that cute smile and chocolate brown eyes that was sitting in front of her. Nothing that fine had walked in here in a while. She was thinking this as she started to pour his coffee and ended up overfilling the cup and had coffee all over the counter. "I'm so sorry. I didn't get any on you did I?" She quickly started wiping the counter thinking _"Oh great, now he thinks I'm a complete klutz."_

"Oh that's okay," Reid responded "Do you mean where I came from right now or originally?"

The mother said, "Start with right now and we'll move on to originally."

Reid chuckled at that, "Right now I hail from Quantico, Virginia. I am an FBI agent and work with the BAU. The Behavior Analysis Unit," he added at their puzzled looks. "We analyze a criminal's behavior to find out why he does things and where he is likely to strike next. I'm more commonly known as a profiler."

"You mean like on TV and in the movies," the daughter said excitedly.

"Yes, exactly like that."

"Wow, you have got to be the most exciting person I've ever met. My name is Colleen Rutherford, by the way and this is my mom, Miriam."

"It's very nice to meet you both. I'm Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid."

"That's quite a mouthful," Miriam noted.

"Yeah," Spencer laughed, "Most people just call me Reid."

"Well, it's nice to meet you Reid, so let's move on to where you hail from originally," added Miriam.

"I was born and raised in Las Vegas." He smiled because he knew the response this was going to elicit and he wasn't disappointed.

"Las Vegas, I never knew anyone who came from Las Vegas; the same Las Vegas with the casinos and everything," Colleen asked disbelieving?

"Yes, the same," Reid nodded, "LasVegas has a whole thriving residential community that most people think nothing about. We have schools, community centers, and churches, not quickie wedding chapels but where people actually go to worship the Lord. There's even a university there. It was very nice meeting you ladies. Thanks for the coffee and the conversation." He stood leaving a bill on the counter. "Is there a hotel or motel around here where I could get a room for the night?"

"Yeah," Miriam replied, "There's the Brookdale Motel, a couple of blocks down and turn to your left. You can't miss it."

"Thanks, goodnight ladies."

A few minutes after Reid left a man walked into the diner wearing a sheriff's uniform. "Well, how are my two best girls," he wondered, in his southern drawl?

"Oh hi honey, we're great. We just met the most interesting young fellow. He's an FBI agent from Quantico and Colleen was quite taken with the fact that he hails from Las Vegas. How was your day? Are you ready to go home?"

"You bet, let's blow this pop stand," Sheriff Kyle Rutherford replied.

A few hours later the phone at the Rutherford home woke them all from a deep sleep. Kyle's deputy said, "Kyle, it's Roy, we have a big problem!"


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N** I still do not own Criminal Minds.

Thanks to all who read and reviewed.

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Reid awoke to a loud pounding on his motel room door. He struggled from sleep, at first not realizing where he was, then, remembering he was in Kentucky and finally realizing someone was knocking at his door. "Just a moment," he called out, jumping from the bed, fumbling for the lamp and tripping while getting into his jeans and tee shirt. He opened the door to find the sheriff and a deputy standing there. He looked at his watch and saw that it was 2:23 AM.

"Are you Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid?" the sheriff asked, looking surprised; he had expected to see someone older.

"Yes," Reid replied; "Why do you want to know?"

"I'm Sheriff Kyle Rutherford. You met my wife and daughter earlier at the diner. They told me that you're an FBI agent. Something has happened this evening and I could really use your help. May I come in?" Reid opened the door and allowed the sheriff and his deputy access to his room. The sheriff continued, "This morning around 12:30AM one of my deputies found the body of one of our townspeople near a wooded area on the outskirts of town. This is a quiet town Agent Reid, nothing much ever happens here. In the time I have been sheriff, the most we have had to deal with is some minor shoplifting, the odd vandalism, some drunk and disorderlies and one domestic dispute. We have never had a murder in Brookdale and I really don't know where to begin to find out who did this. I was wondering, since you are here, if I could lean on your expertise. My wife and daughter seem to think that you will know just what to do. Please Agent Reid, I could really use your help. Would you at least come to the scene and see what you think."

"Okay sheriff, I'll come and have a look. I won't promise that I will be able to help but I'll do what I can," Reid offered in response to the sheriff's plea.

"Thank you so much Agent Reid; that's all I can ask of you. By the way, this is my deputy, Roy Butterfield. He was the one that found the body," Kyle Rutherford uttered with relief. Roy Butterfield and Reid shook hands and then Reid set about getting ready to go. He put on a shirt, ran a comb through his hair and retrieved his firearm from the drawer beside the bed.

"Okay sheriff, lead the way," he said as he and the other men vacated the room.

On the ride to the murder scene, the sheriff filled Reid in on who the victim was. "The victim's name is Valerie Simms. She was born and raised in Brookdale and has always gotten along well with everyone. She was single and worked at Walgreen's. I can't think of anyone who would want to harm her, let alone kill her."

"That's always a major factor sheriff, finding out the reason an un sub does something goes a long way to finding out who it is. As senseless as this may seem, I'm telling you, that in the mind of the un sub, there is a very valid reason for this murder," Reid stated.

Kyle and Roy looked at Reid with baffled expressions on their faces and then both said together, "Un sub."

"Oh sorry," Reid replied. "It stands for unknown subject, in other words the murderer or perpetrator of the crime."

By this time, they had reached their destination. Reid could see there was another deputy standing guard over the body. Getting out of the vehicle, he asked the sheriff if he had a flashlight and Roy retrieved one from the trunk. Reid also asked for a pair of latex gloves and was again met with puzzled looks. They didn't normally carry them Reid was told but the young deputy was dispatched to get some right away. Reid decided to walk the scene while he waited for the gloves. He noticed that the area had not been cordoned off with crime scene tape. There was a lot of blood at the scene. He also noted a few feet away from the corpse, someone had vomited, the young deputy, he was presuming. Oh well, it happened to everyone at some time. He knew this was a lot to take in if you'd never seen anything like it before.

The victim looked to be in her late thirties, she had been relatively attractive, with short dark blond hair. Her blue eyes remained open but were now forever unseeing. Reid approached the body, noting that it was covered with numerous stab wounds. The worst were on her upper torso. "She was stabbed numerous times. The first few are not very deep and did not do much damage. This suggests the un sub is not familiar with killing. In fact this may be his first kill. Finally, a stab wound went deep and severed a major artery. You can note that by the arterial spurt here," he pointed to an area on the upper chest. "This was the fatal wound; she bled out from this wound. The downward thrust of the knife and the angle suggests the assailant was at least 5' 11" and right handed. The force needed to make the thrusts also suggests that it was a man; a woman wouldn't normally have that kind of strength. She has no defensive wounds, which suggests she knew her attacker and was not afraid of him or she wouldn't have agreed to meet him in this secluded area at night."

At that point the young deputy returned with a box of latex gloves. Reid donned a pair and suggested the others do the same. With gloves on Reid approached the body more closely and was able to touch her. "She is in full rigor that means she has been dead at least three to four hours, so you are looking at a TOD of around 11pm to midnight, your ME will be able to give a closer approximation," Reid said. Sheriff Rutherford and the two deputies stood in awe of all this young man was able to tell them. "Where is the CSI team, sheriff, should they not be here by now?"

"I'm afraid we don't have a CSI team, we've never needed one before now, he stated apologetically.

"Okay," Reid said, pointing to the outer area where the blood drops receded. "We need to get this area cordoned off with crime scene tape and you'll need to have someone guard the site until I can get all the forensic evidence we need. We don't want curious townspeople coming and compromising the crime scene. I can collect all the samples and take all the photos that you need. I'll have them sent to Quantico for processing. Who is the ME, he'll have to get here and pronounce and the body will have to be shipped out for autopsy." The other three men were still trying to process all this, while Reid was moving along. He motioned to the victim's lower body, "These stab wounds in the vaginal area were made post mortem. Notice there is hardly any blood from them because the victim had already bled out. They are haphazard and frantic. That suggests rage toward the victim and that there might even be a sexual element involved."

Reid was about to continue, when the sheriff's cell phone rang. He answered it and the others heard him say "What, where, okay we'll be right there." He ended the call and turned to the others and said, "Guys we got another body!"


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N** Again, I do not own Criminal Minds

Thanks again to all who read and reviewed

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The sheriff looked flabbergasted by the call he had just received. Brookdale, that had never had a murder, suddenly had two in one night. Kyle was at a loss. He turned and looked at Reid with an expression that said "help, please tell me what to do."

Reid felt sorry for the sheriff; he definitely knew how it felt to be out of your depth and he would help any way he could. "Okay, this scene needs to be processed and I will have to go get what I need to do that." Your deputy, he pointed to the young one, not knowing his name, will have to stay here and guard the scene until I return.

"Cory Campbell," the young man provided.

Reid nodded, "I'll have to get swabs and that sort of thing sheriff. Do you have those on hand?" Kyle shook his head. "Is there a hospital in town where I can get swabs and things? I'll also need a good camera with a variety of lenses."

Kyle nodded and got on his cell to make arrangements for Reid to get what he needed. While Kyle was on the phone Reid told Roy that he and Kyle should go to the new murder site and secure the scene. He would join them as soon as he was done processing this scene. Roy nodded in agreement. He wasn't about to argue with anything this guy had to say.

As Kyle got off the phone, he said, "The hospital is waiting for you. The administrator has given instructions that you are to have anything you need. Mike Williams is going to open his store up on Main Street so you can go in and choose the camera of your choice. Is there anything else you need?"

"I think I'll manage sheriff. If I find I need anything else, I'll let you know."

Roy and Kyle dropped Reid off at the motel so he could get his vehicle and gave him directions to the hospital and the camera shop and then they headed off to the second crime scene.

The second crime scene was the parking lot of the local high school. The victim was Jeff Clisby, who was the school's history teacher. Standing next to the body was volunteer Deputy Dave Wagner, who had been called in to do patrol while the others were busy at the crime scene. Dave was relieved when he saw Kyle and Roy pull into the parking lot. "Boy am I glad to see you guys. I've never seen anything like this and to tell you the truth, it freaks me out."

Looking at the body, Kyle could see why. It appeared that Jeff had been stabbed much the same way Val had. The only difference was that where Val had been cut up vaginally, Jeff had been castrated.

"Holy shit," Roy said at the sight of the man's castration. "I hope that was done after death."

Kyle couldn't help but agree with that sentiment. He looked very grim as he took in, for the second time that night, the awful thing that had been done to someone he knew from church, school and community activities. What the hell was going on in his town? Had a monster suddenly been awakened? Kyle sent Dave to get some crime scene tape so they could cordon off the area as Agent Reid had suggested. At least there was one thing he could be glad about. He had someone in town that was used to this sort of thing and knew what to do. Wow, how could someone get used to this sort of thing, Kyle thought, with new respect for his young colleague. He hoped that Agent Reid didn't take too long, it was going to start getting light soon and he hoped to have the bodies removed before people started coming out of their homes to begin a new day.

Reid had arrived back at the first scene loaded down with the equipment needed to process the scene. Cory seemed glad to see him. His look said there was something creepy about standing around in the dead of night guarding a body. Reid went about the job at hand taking pictures from, Cory thought, every imaginable angle. Next he put little number markers by what seemed like every single blood drop and took pictures of them too. He then started taking swab after swab from all the blood that was there, and intently marking every sample. Cory didn't understand why he had to take so many. Reid was very patient in explaining everything to Cory and Cory had to admit, the dude knew what he was talking about. Next he took, what looked to Cory, like postal tape and put it on all different areas of Val's clothes. He explained it was in case hairs or fibers were transferred from the un sub to the victim. He said it was known as Locard's exchange principle. Dr Edmund Locard was the director of the first crime lab in France in the early 20th century, Reid informed Cory. Where did this guy come up with this stuff Cory thought? Reid finally came to the collection that he was afraid Cory would buck at.

He stopped at the place where, he assumed it was Cory, had vomited. "Cory", he said, "Did you do this?" Cory looked at him, bowed his head and nodded. "That's okay I puked my first time out too. It happens all the time, but since it's at the crime scene, I have to take a sample of it and your DNA as well. Nothing will happen; they just have to know for sure where it came from." He took the sample and then approached Cory with a swab, got him to open his mouth and swabbed his cheek. The ME had shown up and released the body a short time ago and had now headed off to the second scene. Since Reid had finished with his collections, they were ready for the body to be removed and Reid could go to the second scene as well.

When Dr. Mitch Franklin arrived at the school parking lot, the sun was just beginning to rise. He greeted Kyle, Roy and Dave with a somber hello. "Well this is a night I hope I never see again guys. I just left Val and released her body, met your FBI guy, seems quite knowledgeable about, well everything. He was collecting all the samples and Cory seemed fascinated by him. He said to tell you to hang tough, he should be here soon." He examined the body and concluded that, just like the other body, death was due to exsanguination, and had occurred about four hours ago since this body too, was in full rigor. They would be able to tell more closely when the autopsy was done. He told them the body could be released when Agent Reid was finished with his collections and pictures, and then he was gone.

Reid arrived shortly after with Cory. He looked at the body. He noted the same kind of wounds inflicted however, this time the victim had put up a fight and had defensive wounds on his hands. "There is the same medium velocity spatter as at the first scene and the arterial spurt. This victim has defensive wounds and that leaves us with the possibility that the attacker was injured in some way so I must pay very close attention to the blood collection because if we even get one drop from the attacker, we can get DNA, he told the officers. Reid noted the castration and said that went along with the vaginal cutting on Valerie Simms. He started taking pictures and making his forensic collections. When he was done, he saw the body off with instructions for it along with the other body to be taken to Quantico for autopsy.

The group returned to the sheriff's office and Kyle wondered what he should do now. Reid suggested they try and discover each victim's movements from the previous evening. "While you're doing that," he said, "I have a phone call to make."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N** Once again I don't own Criminal Minds

Thanks to all those who so kindly read and reviewed

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"Queen of the information superhighway, speak and be recognized."

"Hey Garcia, how are you?"

"Is that you sweetcheeks?" Garcia said and she could feel Reid blushing over the telephone line. "What are you up to doll?"

"You don't want to know Garcia, you really don't."

"Come on honey, you can tell me."

"Well yeah Garcia, that's kinda why I called. I'm in a little town in Kentucky called Brookdale. There were two brutal murders here last night and the sheriff didn't have a clue where to start and asked for my assistance. Anyway, there's a bunch of forensic samples and two bodies coming your way, do you want to make sure they're processed ASAP and get the results to me."

'Reid, I thought you were on vacation."

"Yeah, I thought so too, oh well the best laid plans, you know!" Reid replied, "Listen, I also need you to look up everything you can find on my victims Valerie Simms and Jeff Clisby, both of Brookdale. I need to find the connection and right now I can't see it. Get back to me as soon as you can, okay."

"You got it babe, I'm on it."

"Thanks, Garcia." He turned to Kyle and said, "I just spoke to Penelope Garcia, hacker extraordinaire of the FBI and I have her looking into the victims. If there's a connection, believe me she'll find it. I've got her on alert to expect the bodies and forensic samples; she'll see that they're dealt with ASAP."

"Thank you so much Agent Reid, you don't know how much your help means to me." Kyle's face showed the relief he felt at having someone there to whom this was nothing new.

"Don't mention it and just call me Reid, everybody does."

Garcia punched the information into her computers and left them to do their work, and then she headed upstairs. She found the team in the conference room discussing a case. "Hi pals, I just thought I would let you know that I just heard from Reid."

"Great," Emily said, "How's he doing?"

"Well, he's not exactly vacationing like he thought he would," Garcia took a deep breath and continued. "It seems that he stopped in a small town in Kentucky for the night and they had two brutal murders. The sheriff is in over his head and asked Reid to assist. He sent the forensic evidence and the two bodies here and he wants me to research the two victims to find a connection. I've got my children working on it now."

"You mean he's down in Kentucky handling these murders alone?" Hotch asked, concern showing on his face.

"Apparently the law enforcement down there has never seen anything like this before and needed some guidance." Garcia replied.

"Well," Morgan added jumping up from his seat, "We better get ready and get down there right away."

Everyone started to nod in agreement, when Gideon spoke up, "I don't think that's a good idea."

"What do you mean Jason, you know what happened to him the last time he was on his own. He's still recovering." Hotch added.

"Look, I know you are all concerned for him, I'm concerned for him too. But he has just gone through a couple of disastrous experiences that have shaken his belief in himself. I think he feels we are all watching him. But down in Kentucky, these people know none of this and they are looking to him for his knowledge and experience and it sounds like he is handling it very well. I think he needs to do this, to get his confidence back and I think we need to let him. He wants to prove he's strong enough. Furthermore, he called Garcia for some computer work; he didn't contact any of us to ask for our help. I think until he does, we should stay out of it. Of course, if he needs our help, we will be there in a heartbeat, no question," he finished, his concern for Reid written on his face but his face also showed a pride in the young man he considered a son.

"I understand what you're saying, but I'm still worried about him." JJ interjected.

"Maybe that has been our problem for too long now. It has been an unspoken rule that he is the baby of our little family and above all things, he is to be protected." Gideon continued, "Did we ever stop to consider that maybe he doesn't want that. He's a big boy; he's an FBI agent, the same as any of us. Would we all be so ready to run out the door if it was Morgan down there and not Reid? You know we wouldn't. I think we need to give him the chance to do it on his own, we owe him that."

The group was quiet for a few minutes, then Hotch broke the silence, "All right Jason, we'll do it your way. I hope to God you're right."

Everyone in the sheriff's station was tired and on edge. None of them had gotten much sleep and with things the way they were, who knew when they would get a good night's sleep again. The door to the station opened and Miriam and Colleen walked in, arms loaded down with food. Reid jumped to his feet, taking something from Colleen, "Here, let me help you with that."

Colleen smiled up at him and said, "According to my Dad you've been the biggest help already. Thanks by the way."

Reid returned her smile; she looked really nice in a yellow sundress that contrasted so nicely with her brown hair and eyes. "It looks like you and your Mom went to a lot of work, thanks."

"Well, you guys were up all night and you didn't get any breakfast so it's the least we could do." _Damn, he's got a beautiful smile, and those eyes!_

The Rutherford women had indeed gone to a lot of work, there were salads, buns, meats, sandwiches, fruit, pie and whipped cream. Reid's mouth began to water just looking at it. Colleen prepared a plate for him and brought it over. "Oh thanks, you didn't have to bring it over; we're not in the diner. You don't have to wait on me."

"That's okay; I figure you must be tired after all you've done for my Dad. I hope you don't mind that we suggested he contact you."

He was breaking apart a bun and replied, "No, I didn't mind at all."

_I love his long slender fingers. What would it feel like to be touched by them?_

At that moment, Reid's cell phone rang, "Reid" he said into the receiver.

"Hey babe, it's me. I got some answers for you."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N **I still own nothing.

Thanks again for reviewing

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Reid walked into Kyle's empty office and closed the door, sat down in Kyle's chair with a pencil and paper and said"Okay, fire away Garcia." He listened intently to all Garcia was telling him and took notes. Writing it all down and reading it back to himself would cement it in his mind due to his eidetic memory.

Colleen was watching him from the station's main room. He had dashed off so quickly when the call came; she had heard the voice, although she couldn't understand what it said. It sounded like a woman. Maybe he has a girlfriend, she thought. Of course he probably had a girlfriend, how could a great guy like him not.

Miriam was watching her daughter from across the room noticing the look in her eyes and followed the direction of her gaze to the young man sitting in Kyle's office. Oh well, it had to happen sometime, although Colleen was very pretty, she had only been on a few dates and never seemed particularly interested in anyone until this young man happened into the diner the other night. From the look on her daughter's face, Colleen was very smitten with this fellow and Miriam just hoped her girl wasn't headed for a heartache.

Ruby James, the secretary/dispatcher for the sheriff's office came up to Miriam, also looking at Colleen and said to her friend, "So the love bug bites at last."

"Yeah, I hope she's not headed for a fall."

"If it's any consolation, Miriam, he seems like a stand up guy."

"I know it but I still think she's gonna get hurt when he leaves."

Reid came out of Kyle's office and headed back to his lunch with a thoughtful expression on his face. Colleen approached, "Hi, I saw you on the phone. Is everything okay?"

"Oh yeah, I was just talking to our computer tech at Quantico and didn't get the answer I was looking for. I guess it couldn't be that easy."

Colleen heaved a small sigh of relief and sat down by him, "I'm sorry."

"I'll keep digging, I'll come up with something, I'm definitely not giving up. Thanks for the lunch, it was delicious," he said with a smile in her direction.

"Anytime," Colleen smiled back. "If you need anything, I'm here."

Reid nodded, smiled, and then was off to talk to her father and the deputies.

Garcia was typing on her keyboard when Hotch walked into her sanctum. "Hi Garcia, any word from Reid."

"Okay, you're the third person in the last hour that's come in here asking about Reid. First Morgan, then JJ and now you; Yes, I talked to him, gave him the info I found on his victims, not much helpful there and yes he sounds okay." At that moment Gideon walked in. "Oh not you too, I thought you were going to leave him alone and yet someone's in here every five minutes,"

"Right, we're out of here, come on Aaron." Hotch and Gideon left and Garcia sat back in her chair with a big grin on her face.

Reid spoke to Kyle and the deputies. Garcia gave me all the info on Clisby and Simms. "Clisby was born in Pikeville in 1960. Nothing untoward in his childhood. Attended U of K and married his high school sweetheart. Came here after graduation as a history teacher and has been here ever since. Involved in the PTA and the Boy Scouts. No arrests, no wants or warrants. Two children, girl 16, boy 14."

"Simms was born here in 1968, went to school here, had Clisby as a history teacher, passed his course with a B+. Left Brookdale to attend college but came back after a year and started working at Walgreen's and stayed there until she was killed. Single and never married. No arrests, no wants, no warrants."

"We're still waiting on the lab results and the autopsy reports. What did you guys find out about their activities last evening?"

"I spoke to Elaine Clisby," Kyle reported, "She said Jeff got a call about 10pm and he said he had to go out. He didn't tell Elaine who it was. She thought maybe it was about a student."

"Did he often get late night calls from students?" Reid inquired.

"No, Elaine said it rarely ever happened."

"Well, I talked to Val's neighbors and nobody heard or saw anything at her place and nobody saw her go out." Roy said. "I don't know about anybody else but I need a little break here. I came in for work last evening and haven't had a rest yet."

"Yeah," Kyle said, "We should all take a little break. How about we meet back here after dinner and we'll brainstorm." He looked at Reid, "Maybe by then there'll be some word from your colleague in Quantico."

Reid nodded, "Sounds like a good idea to me."

As the men split up Ruby said, "Do one of you guys want to take these dishes back to the diner?" Reid volunteered to return the dishes saying he had to go get gas for his vehicle anyway.

When Reid walked into the diner with the dishes, Miriam and Colleen were alone in the place. Reid thanked them again for the meal and told them everyone was taking a few hours break. He himself was heading to the motel after he stopped for gas.

Colleen jumped up, "Can I come with you?"

"To my motel room?" Reid's voice squeaked and his face turned scarlet.

"No silly, I'm meeting a friend at the strip mall across from the gas station. Could I get a ride with you?"

"Oh sure, you can get a ride with me," he accepted, relieved. He turned to go out to his SUV and Colleen followed with a huge smile and a wave to her mother. Miriam smirked at the young man's naiveté. Colleen hated that strip mall.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N** I don't own Criminal Minds

Thanks again for all the reviews

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Pulling his SUV to a stop at the gas station, Reid and Colleen exited the vehicle. A young man emerged from the building. Colleen spoke to him, "Hi Troy, Troy Olsen, this is Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid of the FBI, he's helping my Dad solve the murders from last night."

"Hi, do you want a fill," he said, going to the pump, Reid nodded. "I'd shake hands but my hands are covered with grease. Nice to meet you anyway. Isn't that something about Val Simms and Jeff Clisby. They were both really nice people."

"Yes," Reid answered, "It was a terrible thing."

Troy turned to Colleen, "I haven't seen you around in a while, what have you been up to. You haven't been to Houston's for ages. That's a bar where most of the younger crowd hang out." He said turning to Reid, who nodded. "That'll be $43.57 for the gas." Reid handed him the money and Troy went inside to get the change.

"I think you have an admirer," Reid said inclining his head toward the building Troy had just entered.

"Troy's a nice guy; don't get me wrong, I just don't feel that way about him you know."

"Oh I know what you mean," Reid said laughing. "I'm usually the guy in Troy's shoes. You know the let's just be "friends" thing," he made quotation marks with his fingers.

Colleen stood with her mouth open, disbelieving that any girl would not see him as the ultimate catch. Troy came out with the change and Reid turned to get back in the SUV. "Do you want me to wait with you until your friend shows up?"

"Maybe I'll just call her and see where she is." Colleen said dialing some numbers and speaking into the phone with no one at the other end. "Hi Jen, where are you? I'm at the mall. What do you mean you're not coming? No it's okay, I can get a ride back. Yeah see you later. I guess she's not coming so can I get a ride to the motel with you and I can walk home from there?"

"Uh, sure I'll take you back home. You don't have to walk from the motel." He opened the passenger door for her and she got in and waved good bye to Troy.

Reid returned to the motel after dropping Colleen off at home. He had a shower, shaved and lied down to get a little sleep and then it was time to return to the sheriff's station. He still hadn't heard anything from Garcia.

Kyle and Cory were already there when Reid arrived and they waited for Roy. Cory was very interested in Reid's life as an FBI agent and had lots of questions. "So have you ever shot anybody." He asked.

"Yes I have, twice." The images of Phillip Dowd and Tobias Hankel passed before his eyes, before and after he shot them.

"Wow, that's exciting. So after you shot them they were like…"

"Dead, Cory, after I shot them they were dead. Shooting people is a grim necessity of the life I lead. There is nothing exciting about it. I took no pleasure in shooting those men and I am not glad that they're dead. I killed them in defense of myself and others and if you think that is exciting then perhaps this is not the place for you." Reid turned and walked out of the room. Cory looked at Kyle with a puzzled expression on his face. Kyle looked back at him with an expression that said "leave it be."

Reid was sitting outside on the bench when Roy arrived and he went back in to join the others, glad that neither Kyle nor Cory made mention of his previous outburst.

The group had been discussing all that they knew about the murders, which wasn't much. Then Reid had a thought. "Mrs. Clisby said that Jeff got a phone call before he went out. I can get Garcia to go over the phone records and find out where that call came from and if there was a similar one to Val Simms." He picked up his cell and started dialing Garcia. She would get on it and let him know.

A few minutes later, Garcia called back with some news. "Your phone calls to Jeff Clisby and Val Simms came from a pay phone at the corner of First and Market Streets. Now I have your forensic results. Jeff Clisby died of exsanguination due to a stab wound that severed his jugular. Castration occurred after death. Val Simms also died of exsanguination due to severing of her aorta. The vaginal stabbing occurred after death. An interesting note on Ms Simms, the autopsy stated that at some point in her life Ms. Simms had a child." The group looked shocked to hear that last statement.

The autopsy results weren't a great help as they didn't shed a lot of light on the puzzle that plagued them. Cory had been quiet most of the evening. Reid felt sorry about his harsh words and knew he should apologize to the young deputy, who was over talking to Ruby. "So Troy said he saw Colleen today at the gas station. She was with him," indicating Reid, "What's up with that?"

"Why do you ask Cory; do you think something's up?"

"Well before, whenever Colleen came in she would come talk to me but today she made a beeline right to him and then later she's out in his SUV with him."

"Maybe there's a logical explanation."

"Oh yeah and I just bet I know what it is. We're all just a bunch of hicks here. None of us know stuff about French guys from a hundred years ago." He retorted with a scowl in Reid's direction before turning to join the others.

Ruby blew out a big breath and muttered to herself, "Methinks we got trouble, right here in River City."

Reid's cell rang a few minutes later. It was Garcia. "Hi Garcia, what have you got for me. Hang on let me put you on speaker." He pushed a button. "Okay Garcia."

"Well, I got some really interesting news for you Sweet Pea." Kyle and the deputies, particularly Cory, rolled their eyes at Garcia's endearment.

"What is it Garcia."

"Well, the DNA of the blood at the first crime scene was all Val Simms'." That was no surprise to anyone. "However there were two DNA samples recovered at the second scene. One was Jeff Clisby and the second is an unidentified male that is not in CODIS."

"Since Clisby had defense wounds, I'm not surprised there was blood from the un sub at the crime scene Garcia."

"Yes my sweet one, I know that," more rolled eyes, "But I haven't got to the interesting part. Drum roll please. The DNA at the scene was related to Jeff Clisby, probably a son."

"What," four voices in unison. "Garcia, are you sure about this? Clisby's only son is only fourteen and he's not big enough to have done this."

"I knew you would ask so I made sure the results had been double checked and that leaves us with only one conclusion. The fourteen year old is not his only son."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N **I don't own Criminal Minds.

Thanks again for all the reviews, they are indeed helpful.

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The new information Garcia had imparted gave the group a lot to think about. Kyle said he would talk to Elaine Clisby in the morning and find out if she knew anything about Jeff having another son that was born before she and her husband moved to Brookdale. With all this new information to think about, they decided to call it a night. They said good night in front of the station and said they would see each other in the morning.

Reid arrived back at his motel room but, even though he hadn't gotten any sleep the night before, he was too wired to sleep. He showered and sat down with a couple of paperbacks he'd bought. He'd finished the first one after about ten minutes and decided to save the second until tomorrow.

He laid back and tried to sleep but all he could do was think about his situation. Hotch had forced him to take this vacation so he could get back to his old self, or that was the rationalization Hotch had given him. Reid wondered if Hotch did not feel secure having him as part of the team now and who could blame him after what had happened.

_He'd tried so hard to hide his addiction. His intent at first had been to slowly wean himself off the Dilaudid, at least that was what he'd told himself, but the withdrawal symptoms were so brutal that he felt he had to use it so he could function normally and his withdrawal wouldn't be obvious. However, as with most drugs, he found he needed more just to get the same effect and soon he was injecting regularly._

_He had managed to never take the Dilaudid while he was working. Then one day, they were away on a particularly difficult case. They had been up day and night hunting for an un sub, who was abducting and horribly molesting little girls. He had not had any downtime and had not been able to take any Dilaudid so he was experiencing full blown withdrawal. He was feeling extremely weak, nauseated and dizzy. Finally they had found the un sub's lair and were going in for the raid. JJ looked for the little girls as they thought the children would be less frightened with a woman. They had thought the children were alone but after JJ found them, the un sub snuck in behind her. He himself had come in soon after and pointed his weapon at the un sub but suddenly his vision began to blur, the room spun and he couldn't see well enough to get a shot off without perhaps harming JJ or one of the children. Hotch came behind him at that moment and fired at the un sub taking him down. Had Hotch not been there, JJ or one of the children could have been killed._

_That was when he decided that this could not go on. JJ or one of those precious little girls could have been killed because he was not up to his full capacity due to his drug addiction. He went to Gideon that evening and told him what had been going on. He knew he needed help, but he had just been so ashamed and so afraid of the ramifications of admitting to the drug use. If anyone had been hurt because of him, he would never have been able to live with himself. The bureau, realizing that the drug addiction had started when Dilaudid was forced on him as a consequence of his being kidnapped in the line of duty, were willing to be a little more forgiving than usual, but not much. He still had to face regular drug tests and more frequent performance appraisals but at least he got to keep his job._

But now it seemed that Hotch did not want him back. Was this enforced vacation just postponing the inevitable meeting where Hotch would tell him he could no longer be trusted as a member of the BAU. He guessed he'd have to wait and see. Eventually, exhaustion overtook him and Reid fell into a deep sleep. Four hours later he sat bolt upright in bed. He had an idea. Reid jumped up. He had to talk to Garcia. Then he remembered the time. He couldn't call her now. Damn, he'd have to wait until the morning.

The morning dawned sunny and very warm as Reid got into his SUV to head into the sheriff's station. He stopped at the diner for some coffee and breakfast. Colleen and Miriam were busy with the breakfast routine. He sat at the counter and Colleen greeted him with a warm smile and a cheery hello. As usual she looked delightful in a pink top with thin straps and a pink skirt that showed off her feminine form beautifully. The contrast of beautiful brown tresses flowing down her back took his breath away. He asked for some coffee and pancakes and Colleen said she would be right back with them. Miriam noticed how her daughter suddenly had a huge smile on her face and a dance in her step. She didn't know whether to thank the young man or throttle him for what he was doing to her daughter. Colleen returned with his order and he watched her while he ate. The diner was hot as it was wont to be in June in Kentucky, especially with all the heat from the kitchen. He could see Colleen wipe her brow now and then. He spotted a little bead of perspiration on her neck and he watched it wend its way downwards until it finally disappeared into the depth of her splendid cleavage. He had the urge to take his napkin and… _Jesus Spencer, get your head out of your pants._

He was startled back to reality when he realized Colleen was speaking to him, "Earth to Reid, earth to Reid." She stated giggling.

"Oh sorry, I was lost in thought."

"Obviously, it must have been a good thought, you had a grin on your face," she said causing him to choke on his coffee.

"Are you okay?"

"Oh yeah. It just went down the wrong way." Reid said, his face suddenly flaming. _Well that was embarrassing._ "Uh, what were you saying?"

"I was just saying that this hasn't been a very good vacation for you."

_I didn't want to be on vacation; I wanted to be at work but Hotch obviously doesn't trust me to work with the team; this is the next best option._ However, he said, "Oh I don't mind, I didn't have any particular plans."

"Well, we were fortunate you came into town when you did."

Looking into her beautiful brown eyes, he said, "It must have been fate."

Colleen was about to agree when Miriam yelled, "Colleen, customers."

She smiled at Reid, "Later."

Garcia was hard at work with her computers. Reid had called early wanting some information and she told him she'd work on it. She hadn't found much yet but she'd keep digging. Hotch had just come by asking about Reid. She felt she should hold a daily briefing as someone was always stopping by to see if she'd heard from him. Even Gideon, who tried to hide it, was curious. She kept assuring everyone that he sounded fine and seemed to be doing a good job for the town of Brookdale. She knew how much everybody missed Reid and how much they all cared about him. She guessed she should feel lucky; at least she got to talk to him and hear his voice. The others just got news of him second hand.

Gideon joined Hotch in the conference room. "What troubles you my friend?" he said noticing Hotch's grim expression.

"I was just thinking about Reid. I hope he's not in over his head in Kentucky. I mean he's just come back from two harrowing experiences and I was hoping he could ease back into work."

"Aaron, nothing that's happened to Reid has been your fault. Quit blaming yourself. "

"That's easy to say Jason, but I was the one that sent them to the Hankel farm, and everything that happened afterward, how could I not have seen it and helped him before the problem got so bad he needed rehab." Hotch argued. "Maybe if I had worked more closely with him beforehand and tried to teach him how to deal with things better, nothing like this would have happened. But I didn't and then he came back the other day, all ready to start work and I was so afraid that something might happen to him that I told him I thought he needed more time and made him take vacation. He accused me of not trusting him, if he only knew. He has no idea how much I care about him as a mixture of part son, part brother and part friend. I kept thinking that if he wasn't here, he couldn't get hurt. Now I find he's thrown himself into this situation in Kentucky and he could still get hurt, because Reid is Reid and he will always jump in where he's needed, won't he?"

Gideon touched Hotch's shoulder as he got up to leave saying, "And isn't that one of the things we love most about him."

Hotch could only nod at Gideon's departing figure.

Reid along with Kyle and the deputies had been discussing what they had on the case. Cory had just gone to pick up some lunch. Kyle had talked to Elaine Clisby that morning and she was shocked to hear that Jeff had another son. She said they had been together since they were sixteen and she had never had a child before they came to Brookdale, which meant that if what Kyle was telling her was true, then her husband had been unfaithful at some point in their relationship and fathered a son with another woman. She couldn't believe that, Kyle must be wrong. Kyle told her DNA didn't lie and it said the second blood sample found at the murder scene belonged to a son. Elaine had no idea what the answer was and Kyle left her, knowing he had broken the woman's heart. Maybe he could ask Miriam to pay her a visit.

Cory finally returned with lunch and the guys sat down to eat an extra spicy sausage pizza sparing the Rutherford women from another day of preparing a meal for them. During a lull while they waited for word from Garcia, Kyle decided that he and the deputies should do a quick patrol of the town, leaving Reid with some time on his hands. He decided to go to the bookstore since he had finished the two books that he had. Following Kyle's directions he turned onto Market Street where the book store was located at the bottom of the hill. Intending to slow down near the end of the slope, he applied his brakes but nothing happened. He pressed his brakes again, again nothing happened and Reid suddenly realized his SUV was barreling downhill with no means of stopping!


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N **Darn, I still don't own Criminal Minds.

Thanks for the kind reviews and PM's.

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A thousand things ran through Reid's mind; everything he knew about braking systems and what to do when they failed, how to avoid a collision with another vehicle or pedestrian; thoughts of his mom and his team, his family. He shifted gears, reached for and pulled the emergency brake, effectively slowing his vehicle somewhat but not stopping it. He leaned on the horn to warn other vehicles and pedestrians and then attempted to steer his SUV toward the curb but there were too many parked cars for him to get close enough to the curb and slow himself. All that was left was to steer the vehicle to the safest place possible for him and others on the road. He saw an alley up ahead and turned into it. Then he saw what he needed, a telephone pole. He steered the SUV toward it attempting to hit it on the passenger side. The contact was jarring and he felt his head go back and hit the headrest as his airbag deployed.

Reid sat for a few moments, stunned by what had just happened. Had someone really tried to kill him? He knew his SUV was in good working order; he had had it checked before he began his trip. People were starting to gather around him in the alley. One man approached the vehicle and opened the driver's door. "Sir, are you all right?"

Reid looked up at the man. He was about fifty-five with gray hair and much calloused hands. "Yeah, I think I'm okay. My brakes failed and I was trying to avoid getting anyone hurt. I didn't hit anything, did I?"

"No, only the telephone pole and I think your car got the worst of that deal. I'm Dom Melnick, I run the service station over there. You're the FBI guy, right?"

"How did you know?"

"Are you kidding, everybody knows about the murders and that Kyle has got some guy from the FBI helping him. Everyone in this small town knows who you are. I should call an ambulance for you."

"I don't think I need an ambulance." Reid said, starting to get out of the vehicle. As he stood up he got a very sharp pain in his neck. "Aah ouch, no I'm okay, just a bit of a sore neck. I'll get it checked out." He walked to the front of the SUV to assess the damage. The passenger side was pretty smashed up but at least he wasn't badly hurt and he hadn't caused any damage to the town or its people, well except for a dinted telephone pole. He pulled out his cell phone and called Kyle, who happened to be at the diner.

Kyle was stunned to hear what Reid was telling him. "Hang on, I'll be right there. Are you hurt? Well, I think you should go to the hospital." He ended the call and turned to the two women beside him, "That was Reid, apparently someone tampered with his brakes and he had an accident on Market Street. Luckily, he doesn't appear to be badly hurt and no one else was injured. Good thing he knew what to do. I'm heading over there now."

"Wait Dad, are you taking him to the hospital. We better make sure he's okay. I'll go to the hospital and meet you there. You mean someone in our town tried to kill him? Who would do that? "

Miriam piped up, "Probably whoever committed those murders didn't think Kyle would be able to figure it out and didn't count on there being an FBI agent on the scene. Maybe he saw Reid as a threat and decided to get rid of him, I mean, what's one more murder?"

Kyle left to head over to the site of the accident. Reid was sitting in the driver's seat when Kyle arrived followed a short time later by Roy. 'Wow, it's lucky that no one was hurt, this is one of the busier streets in town. You did a good job driving Reid." Kyle said. "Now we better get you to the hospital and get you checked out."

Reid talked to Dom Melnick before he left. "I want this vehicle impounded. I want you to call me when you get it up on the hoist, I want to look at it, I want to take pictures and I want to dust the sides and the underside for prints. I want this handled personally by you and I will communicate with you, is that clear."

"Yes, perfectly clear Agent Reid."

Reid allowed Kyle to take him to the hospital where he was seen by Dr. Romero, a short kindly looking older man. "The x-ray showed nothing broken. You have a case of whiplash. Your neck will be sore for a while, possibly your shoulders. You suffered some soft tissue damage to your muscles. I'll give you something for the pain and a muscle relaxant."

"Do not give me any narcotics Dr. Romero."

"Why do you say that Agent Reid: Just some acetaminophen with codeine; it will help the pain."

"Dr. Romero, I recently spent time in a rehab facility for a Dilaudid addiction. I do not; I repeat do not want any narcotics."

"Fine Agent Reid, we'll do it your way, I'll just give you straight acetaminophen and Baclofen, that's a muscle relaxant, how's that?"

"Thank you Dr. Romero."

While he was waiting for the nurse to come with his medication, he looked up and saw Colleen standing in the doorway. "Hi" she said, "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay, come on in, you don't have to stand in the doorway."

"I'm so sorry this happened to you, I feel it's all my fault. I was the one that suggested to my Dad that he should ask for your help. I never dreamed that anything like this would happen to you." She had come into the room and Reid could see she was crying.

"Colleen, please don't cry; none of this is your fault." He sat up as she approached the gurney he was on. His neck was really giving him hell. He eased off the gurney as she reached him. She looked so miserable that he felt the need to comfort her. He put a hand up and touched her face and wiped away her tears, then his lips were brushing hers, ever so gently, at first, but the kiss quickly deepened until they heard a throat being cleared and they saw the nurse with his medication and Colleen's father watching from behind.

_Smooth move, genius, caught red handed with the sheriff's daughter; you may have more than whiplash to worry about._

He and Colleen separated and he took his medication from the nurse, she also gave him a prescription for the muscle relaxant and told him he could get acetaminophen at the drug store. Kyle still stood by the door not saying anything. Reid could only imagine what he would say when he finally did speak. Colleen looked awkwardly between Reid and her father, then squeezed Reid's hand and nodded good bye to her father. When she got behind her father she turned and gave a quick glance back at Reid and then she was gone leaving Reid and Kyle alone. Reid decided he might as well face the music head on and looked Kyle in the eye. Kyle looked back at him, remembering when he was that age; he knew he shouldn't be angry with Reid, but he didn't want to see Colleen get hurt. What he said was "Come on, we better get you your medication, we'll talk later."

When they were in the car, Reid looked at his cell phone and noticed he'd gotten a call from Garcia, while he had his cell phone turned off in the hospital. He quickly called her back.

"Office of supreme genius, how may I help you?"

"Well supreme genius, this is just mediocre genius, did you work me some magic as Morgan would say?"

"Oh boy, sweetness, where have you been, I've been trying to reach you for a while."

"Sorry Garcia, I had to turn my cell phone off while I was in the ER."

"The ER! What were you doing in the ER, are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm okay, I had a minor accident and suffered whiplash but the doctor has given me medication and assures me I'll be fine." He rattled off quickly hoping a jovial sounding voice would put an end to her questions.

No such luck he thought as Garcia immediately responded with, "Accident, what kind of accident? Are you sure you're all right? Do you need anything Honey?"

"It was a minor thing Garcia, I sort of hit a telephone pole."

"Sort of hit a telephone pole. Reid I know you don't drive a lot around here but you're a better driver than that. Oh Reid, I have to ask, you weren't… impaired in some way were you?"

Reid was hoping to avoid mentioning the cut brake lines because he knew where that could lead but he couldn't have her thinking he was impaired in any way; he also knew where that would lead. "Okay Garcia, I'll tell you but promise me you won't go running to the team in a panic."

"Reid, now you're scaring me. Okay, I promise."

Before she could say any more he said, "My brake lines were cut."

"What! Oh my God! Oh my God! Someone tried to kill you." Her voice was cracking with emotion.

"Garcia, I'm fine. I'm right here with the sheriff, do you want me to give him the phone and he can confirm that I'm okay."

"No, that's okay, I believe you."

"Now, before we got off track, you were calling me about…"

"I had that DNA comparison done like you asked, with some interesting results."


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N **I don't own Criminal Minds

Thanks for all your reviews, they are much appreciated.

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"Okay Garcia, give it to me."

"You were right, my brainchild, the second blood sample found at the second scene is from the son of Jeff Clisby and the son of Val Simms."

"Sooo, when Val Simms supposedly went away to college, she really went away to have her child. That would make him about twenty-one years old now. Garcia, can you find me any information on the birth and what happened to that child?"

"Consider it done, I'll call. Over and out for now."

After his call to Garcia ended, he turned to Kyle and relayed to him what he had just heard from Garcia. Kyle looked like you could have knocked him over with a feather. He could not believe that Jeff had slept with a student. Had there been others? God, he had been Colleen's history teacher. Suddenly he felt like he didn't know anyone in his town. Jeff had slept with Val, she had had a child by him, what else didn't he know?

He stopped his musings because he realized Reid was speaking. "That's why he attacked their sex organs, her vaginal cuts, and his castration. He somehow feels betrayed by them. Perhaps he had a bad life with his adoptive parents and blames his birth parents for his lot in life."

"So this guy looks up his birth parents on, what the internet, and comes here to kill them because he had a bad life. He could be long gone by now."

"No, he's not a stranger. First of all, people in town would have noticed a stranger. A stranger would have had to have been here long enough to find the people he was looking for and then get an opportunity to attack them. I've only been here a couple of days but apparently the whole town knows who I am and what I look like. Furthermore, he called them both at night and lured them out. A woman alone would not go out at night to meet a stranger in a secluded place. It just wouldn't happen. No, this guy is not a stranger. And he is not long gone; my brake lines were cut today while I was at the sheriff's station. This guy is still here, he knows who I am and what I'm driving."

"Let's get to the drugstore and then back to the sheriff's station, I hope we'll know more when we hear from your friend, Garcia."

"First, I want to check with Mr. Melnick about the brake lines of my SUV and get photos and prints."

Garcia was hard at work with her babies trying to find out all she could on Val Simm's baby, when Morgan came in. "Hey Garcia, any word from Reid?"

"Yeah, I spoke to him a little while ago he seemed.. Uh… really good."

"All right, Garcia, what is it? Something's wrong. Is something wrong with the case?" He hurried over to her chair and swiveled her around, looking her in the eyes, "Is something wrong with Reid."

"No no, He's okay, really. I promised him I wouldn't say anything so I'm not going to now get out of here so I can do my work."

"Garcia, I mean it, tell me right now, what's wrong with Reid."

"No, I promised I wouldn't and I'm not telling you anything. Now for the last time get out of here." Morgan left but she knew she hadn't heard the last of this.

Morgan went into the conference room where everyone was clustered around the conference table. He blurted out, "Something's wrong with Reid."

Hotch said, "What, what's wrong with Reid?"

"I don't know, Garcia won't tell me. I asked her if she heard from him and she said he was good but she hesitated and I asked her if something was wrong and she said no but I knew she was lying and I called her on it. Then she said Reid made her promise not to tell anyone. I don't like the sound of that and she won't tell me what it's about."

Hotch picked up the phone and said, "Well she'll tell me," and spoke into the receiver, "Garcia, please get up to the conference room, now!"

Garcia entered the conference room a few minutes later to find five faces staring at her. Hotch spoke, "Morgan tells me that something is wrong with Reid and you won't tell him what it is."

Garcia put her head down, looking a little sheepish but when she looked up she said, "With all due respect sir, Reid is my friend and he asked me not to say anything to you guys and I am just respecting his wishes."

"I can appreciate that Garcia, and I commend your loyalty to Reid, however considering the difficulties, he's been through lately, I'm going to have to insist that you tell me what is going on with him. If he gets upset with you I will tell him that I pulled rank, okay."

"Come on Garcia," Emily urged, "You know we only have his best interest at heart." She looked at the others and they all nodded enthusiastically.

"Okay, I called him today and I couldn't reach him. He called me later and said his phone was off because he had been in the ER. He said he was in a slight accident, that he had hit a telephone pole. Before you start, he's okay, whiplash and I asked because I thought it weird that he hit a telephone pole, and no he was not impaired in any way. Apparently someone had cut his brake lines and he hit the pole to stop his SUV."

Morgan was up and out of his seat, "What! That's it, we got to go there now; someone is trying to kill him."

The others were silent and Garcia came and sat down at the table. Gideon inquired, "Garcia, how did he sound when you talked to him?"

She thought for a minute and then she said, "He sounded okay, I think he's got a handle on what's going on down there and obviously somebody is afraid of him. From the requests he makes of me, I think he's doing an excellent job. He was afraid of this if you knew, that's why he didn't want me to tell you. He was afraid you would all panic."

After a long silence filled the room Gideon finally spoke, "Let's leave him be for now but if anything else happens to him we may have to get involved." The look on Morgan's face said he was not pleased but he would do what Gideon suggested. It didn't lessen his worry for his friend.

Reid and Kyle were at Dom Melnick's garage getting the low down on Reid's vehicle. Dom showed them where the brake lines were cut and Reid took pictures and fingerprints. Dom then said that he had gone by the station to see the spot where the lines had been cut. There was no brake fluid on the ground so whoever had done this had had enough sense to bring a container to collect the brake fluid thereby leaving no hint to Reid as to what had been done. This person obviously had some knowledge of cars. Dom said it would take a day or two to fix the damage and Reid told him to go ahead, and he would call his insurance provider.

Just as they got back to the sheriff's station, Reid's cell phone rang. It was Garcia. "Hey sweet boy, I have the information you're waiting for."


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: **I still do not own Criminal Minds although I wish I did.

I didn't notice until I was reading this over that two of my sentences have titles of CM episodes in them. That was not my intention but I left them anyway.

Thanks again for reading and reviewing

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"Great Garcia, let me have it."

"Before I do, I have a confession to make. Morgan figured out something was up with you and he went to Hotch who pulled rank and made me tell the team about the accident and the brake cutting."

There was silence on the other end of the line and then a quietly frustrated, "So what did they say?"

"Morgan was all for taking off for Kentucky at that moment, but Gideon convinced the team to leave you be, but of course everyone is concerned about you."

"This is exactly what I didn't want to happen. Oh well, I can't worry about that now, I have an un sub to catch. So what have you got for me?"

"Val Simms' son was born on April 21st, 1986 in Pikeville, Kentucky. She put the child up for adoption; however she had a stipulation, that she wanted him to be adopted by a couple in her hometown of Brookdale. The child was adopted on July 12th of that year by Phillip and Irene Campbell of Brookdale. The Campbell's resided at 36 Braecrest Drive. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell were killed in a boating accident three years ago when their son Cory was eighteen." When she got no response, she said, "Reid, Reid are you there?"

Cory, Reid was thinking, Deputy Cory Campbell was Jeff Clisby and Val Simms' son and their murderer. What he said was, "Garcia, I want you to run a comparison with the DNA sample I took from Deputy Cory Campbell at crime scene one and compare it to the blood from the un sub in crime scene two, and match it with the DNA from the victims. Get back to me ASAP."

"On it." She said, hanging up immediately.

Reid looked around the sheriff's station; he did not see Cory anywhere. Kyle was in his office with the door closed and Roy was out on patrol. He walked over to Ruby's desk and asked if she knew where Cory was. She said Kyle felt he had put in so much overtime lately; he had given him the afternoon off. Reid's cell phone rang. "Reid."

"It's me, no pleasantries, it's a match. Your un sub is Deputy Cory Campbell."

"Thanks Garcia, I'll be in touch."

Reid marched over to Kyle's office and walked in without knocking. Kyle looked somewhat taken aback by Reid's barging in. Reid closed the door, turned to Kyle and said, "I know who the un sub is and you're not going to like it."

Kyle stood up immediately, "You know who it is, well who is it?"

"Cory Campbell."

Kyle stared at the young FBI agent in total disbelief. This could not be the case. He had known Cory since he was a child. He and Colleen went to school together, played together; he'd trusted Cory to be one of his deputies. No, Kyle's eyes said, there was some mistake.

"DNA doesn't lie Kyle; the DNA says Cory is Val Simms and Jeff Clisby's biological son. He was put up for adoption and adopted by Phillip and Irene Campbell. I understand they died in a boating accident three years ago. I'm wondering if it was an accident."

Kyle looked like he was about to fall over. Reid was continuing, "Do you have any idea where he might be Kyle." Kyle looked up at Reid in a daze. Reid pulled out his cell phone and dialed Garcia.

"Supreme Goddess of Technology, ask and you shall receive."

"Garcia, can you locate Cory Campbell for me using his cell phone."

"I'll let you know when I do Babyface."

A few minutes later, Reid's cell phone rang and when he answered it Garcia said, "He's at the diner."

"Oh my God," Kyle yelled and ran for the door with Reid on his heels.

The diner was not busy that afternoon; the lunch crowd had since cleared out. Miriam had taken the chance to make a trip to the hairdresser. Colleen was busy tidying up and wiping down tables and countertops. Old Doc McKenna was having a milkshake and reading the latest edition of a medical journal in the corner booth. A couple of booths away was the only other occupant of the diner enjoying an order of fries and a root beer, Cory Campbell.

Colleen looked up surprised to see her father's cruiser pull up in front of the diner with lights flashing. He never used his lights and siren. Cory noticed it too. He saw Kyle and the fed exit the vehicle and he saw Reid draw his weapon. Oh boy that guy was really starting to piss him off! Looks like the jig is up, he thought. Cory leapt up, ran over to the counter, grabbed Colleen in a choke hold and held his gun to her head. That was what Reid and Kyle saw when they entered the diner.

Kyle started to panic seeing a murderer with nothing to lose holding a gun on his precious daughter. Reid glanced at Kyle noticing that his face appeared to be a mixture of shock, fear and loathing. He had his weapon out but his hands were shaking so badly Reid doubted he would be able to use it. It looked like it was up to him. Been there done that, he thought.

"Cory, you know there is no way out of here for you. You know you don't want to hurt Colleen, why don't you let her go. The minute you hurt her, your leverage is gone and you know I will kill you. Like you, remember, I've done this before." Reid was trying to sound a lot more confident than he felt and hoped that it was coming off that way.

Cory, it appeared, wasn't buying it. "I know neither of you want to see this pretty little thing get hurt. I mean Daddy would be devastated and what about you, Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid," he said the last with a much exaggerated whine to his voice; "You wouldn't want to see your little honey hurt, now would you?" He noticed Reid's puzzled expression, "Oh yeah, word travels fast in a small town, everybody knows about the liplock you two had going on in the ER. Wow isn't that what every daddy wants for his little girl Kyle, a doctor, and an FBI agent to boot, a double whammy."

"I never had a chance to be anything like that thanks to my so called parents. My adoptive parents didn't want a child, well at least not a son. They wanted a child so they would have something to sell on their internet porn site and for sex to their pedophile clients here in town. Oh Kyle, you didn't know about what the wonderful Phillip and Irene Campbell were doing on Saturday nights before they went and prayed so piously on Sunday morning. You didn't know about the naked pictures they took of me and sold on the internet or the pictures they took of me with some community leaders to use as blackmail. After they all too conveniently died in that boating "accident," I knew Sheriff Wilkins would never look into it because he was one of their best customers."

"So why kill Val Simms and Jeff Cllisby; they never did anything to you?" Reid asked.

"That's right they never did anything, that bitch gave me up after I was born and never gave a thought to the kind of life I'd have. That SOB who was my father would never even admit to it or the fact that he'd been screwing students for years. I'm surprised only one got pregnant; maybe he was more careful after her."

"Why now, Cory, this had to be eating at you for years, why now?" Reid inquired.

"I just turned twenty-one a couple of months ago and that's when I got my parent's estate and their safety deposit boxes with all those DVD's of me with all those people in all those sex acts. I guess I felt they owed me for all I been through. Somebody should have to pay for what happened to me," he screamed.

_Well, there was the stressor._

Cory was starting to get agitated and Reid knew he had to try to calm him down or the result could be disastrous. "Okay Cory, I agree, what happened to you was horrific and you have every right to feel someone should pay, but Colleen never did anything to you, she's your friend. Why don't you let her go?"

"Oh yeah, she's my "friend." Would never go out with me on a date. Too good for the likes of me. Bet she'd let you in her pants in a heartbeat though." He said turning his head toward Colleen, "Wouldn't you princess?"

"You, you," he continued, pointing at Reid, "Are the cause of all this," he waved his gun around the diner. "Kyle is a nice man and a good sheriff but he never would have figured this out but you, it's kind of like that old movie, "Of all the diners in all the towns you had to walk into mine" he laughed sardonically, "Just my fucking luck."

Reid was starting to get concerned. Cory seemed almost resigned to his fate and he didn't seem to care if he died. That was dangerous; if he didn't care about himself then the hostage meant nothing to him. This was not going well.

"Is that why you cut my brake lines and tried to kill me Cory, because you thought I was getting too close?"

"Hey, don't lay that one on me. I didn't cut your brake lines, great idea though, wish I'd thought of it."

For some reason, Reid believed him. He had no reason to lie about an attempted murder when he'd just admitted to four murders.

_Then who the hell cut my brake lines?_

There was no time to think about that now. Reid knew he had to find some way to get through to Cory to stop him from harming Colleen. Colleen's eyes kept shifting from her father to Reid to the gun, her fear evident in the depths of those brown pools.

As Reid leveled his gun at Cory, Hotch's words from the firing range replayed in his mind.

_Front sight, trigger press, follow through, do those three things and you'll hit your target every time._

"So Cory, what do you want? Do you want me to let you walk out of here as if nothing happened, let you go so you're free to kill the next person who pisses you off. You don't like it when people piss you off so you really don't like me much right now do you Cory? You really would like to kill me right now wouldn't you Cory?" Reid said in a belligerent tone. Reid could see Cory was getting angrier with every word he spoke.

Cory had finally had enough; he pushed Colleen out of the way to get a shot at Reid. Reid was ready for him, as soon as Colleen was safely out of the line of fire, Reid pulled the trigger. Cory's eyes went wide and his weapon fell from his hand. A patch of red was spreading on his chest as he fell backwards, hitting his head on the counter and falling to the floor.

Colleen was screaming and Kyle gathered her into his arms. Reid went to check on Cory who was still alive. "Kyle we need an ambulance," he yelled at the sheriff who grabbed his cell to make the call. Reid grabbed some napkins and applied pressure to Cory's wound and waited for the paramedics. Cory groaned and opened his eyes to see Reid leaning over him pressing on his chest. He looked at Reid and the young agent said, "You're under arrest, you have the right to remain silent…."


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: **Don't own Criminal Minds

Thanks so much for all the wonderful feedback, it's much appreciated

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Cory opened his eyes and saw a nurse leaning over him. She turned to someone else in the room and said, "It looks like he's awake." Cory followed her gaze and he saw Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid sitting in a chair by the window.

"What do you want?" Cory said.

"I wanted to talk to you."

"Yeah, well forgive me if I don't want to talk to you."

"We got a warrant and searched your house. We found the knife you used to kill Val Simms and Jeff Clisby along with some bloody clothes of yours. I'm sure when they're tested that blood will belong to the victims. We also found the DVD's and a bunch of other things related to your parents' "business". It seems you were telling the truth. I'm sorry for what happened to you."

"Yeah, well doesn't that just make me all warm and fuzzy."

"I know how psychological, physical and emotional abuse can make you lose perspective and harm your judgment."

"Cory sneered at Reid, "And how would you know that?"

"Just trust me when I say I do. Your lawyer should use those DVD's in your defense. They won't get you off but maybe they will get you the help you need. Please take that help, don't go on living with these demons in your mind."

"Why do you care?"

"I don't know, I just do. I'll go now, good luck Cory, I mean that."

"Somehow I think you do. Listen; tell Kyle and Colleen I'm sorry." Reid nodded, turned and went out the door.

Back at the sheriff's station Kyle, Roy and States Attorney Jared Fidrich were looking at the DVD's seized from Cory Campbell's home. Their faces showed the utter shock and disbelief they felt at what they were seeing. Reid walked in and had to admit to himself that, although he had seen many horrible things in his work with the BAU, the DVD's capturing what had been done to Cory were among the most disgusting things he had ever seen.

It was worse for Kyle and Roy. They knew Cory when he was that age and they knew the people they were seeing on those DVD's. They were their neighbors and friends. Fidrich promised to get warrants for all of their arrests immediately but Reid wanted them brought up on federal charges because sentences were longer and harsher for federal crimes. He assured Fidrich that when he called SSA Hotchner, a former lawyer himself, that he was positive he could secure the warrants. Fidrich agreed to leave it in Reid's hands and left.

Kyle had made a list of all the people involved and gave it to Reid, who left the station and went to his motel room to place the call.

The team was in the conference room when the phone rang. "Hotchner." Hotch said into the receiver.

"Hi Hotch, it's me."

"Reid, how are you doing? Wait let me put you on speaker." He pushed a button and said "Okay Reid go ahead, everyone is here."

"Hi Reid" the group said in unison.

"Hi guys, it's good to hear your voices."

"Garcia tells us you've been quite busy in Kentucky." JJ piped up.

"You could say that. Hotch, I called because I need a favor."

"Name it Reid." Hotch replied.

"We caught the un sub, one of the deputies, Cory Campbell. He stated he wanted his birth parents dead because he was given up for adoption and his adoptive parents used him for child porn and to sell to pedophiles for sex. They made DVD's of these sex acts and Hotch they are the most sickening things I have ever seen. I downloaded one and sent it to Garcia so you could see the kind of thing I'm talking about. What I need are federal warrants for the people who participated in accordance with the Federal Child Exploitation and Obscenity Statutes. If I fax you the names and description of the crimes can you get me the warrants Hotch. The state's attorney is leaving this up to me. This is really hard on the sheriff and deputies down here. They know Cory and the people involved. It's sad, these people thought they were living in Mayberry and they're finding out they live in Kentucky's answer to Sodom and Gomorrah."

Garcia called up the DVD on her laptop and the team looked with total disgust at the sickness displayed there. "Fax me the info Reid; you'll have your warrants before the end of the day."

"Thanks Hotch."

Gideon said quietly, "Hey Reid, great work, we're all very proud of you son."

"Uh thanks guys, bye for now."

Disconnecting the call, Hotch looked at the team, "He really is okay, isn't he?" Five smiling faces looked back at him in response.

Reid decided to go to the diner for some lunch. He got a lot of stares and whispers when he entered the diner. It was happening everywhere he went in town now. Everyone knew what had transpired at the diner and some looked on him as something of a hero while others looked on him as a stranger who came to town and opened a Pandora's box they would have preferred remain closed and if truth be told, he couldn't blame them.

He sat at the counter and smiled at Colleen as she came over to him to take his order. After giving it to her mother in the kitchen, she returned.

"So, how are you doing?" He said, "Are you recovering from what happened the other day?"

"I don't know; it's so hard to believe that Cory could do something like that."

"Trauma can make people do things very foreign to them, believe me I know. Cory needs help and I hope he gets it. I hope the community can get over this for everyone's sake."

"You're very forgiving."

"It's not so much a matter of being forgiving as it is understanding that trauma, abuse and torture can weigh heavily on the human mind, making one do things he never thought he was capable of doing." Reid replied, not sure whether he was talking about Cory or himself. He had to admit that his experience with Tobias had helped him gain a perspective of what it felt like to be the victim but also how being traumatized can lead a person to do destructive things and behave in a manner unusual to him. Reid hoped he could do as Morgan had suggested and use these experiences to make him a better profiler and a better person. That remained to be seen.

"You know I've wanted to get out of this town for a long time and now it seems I want it even more."

"So what's keeping you here, your family?"

"No, it's not that though I love Mom and Dad very much, it's just that I'm not a brainchild. I did okay in school but not well enough to get scholarships to colleges. It seems like education is the only way out of a small town."

"I don't think so Colleen, if you want to go then you should go. So you don't have a scholarship, you have a skill; you're a very good waitress. Start there; get a job as a waitress somewhere, save your money, go to community college, night school, get the education that you need to maybe get that scholarship, but whatever you do don't just sit here and wish your life was better. That's such a waste."

Colleen got his meal and new customers came in and she left to tend to them. Reid ate his lunch put some money on the counter and got up to leave saying good bye to Colleen and again enduring the stares of the townsfolk. Colleen picked up the money, looked at how much was there, gave Reid a questioning expression, he shook his head and left. Colleen put some of money in the till and pocketed the hefty tip!

Reid returned to the sheriff's station and almost planted himself by the fax machine waiting for the warrants from Hotch. About an hour after he came in the fax machine started to buzz and page after page of warrants, fourteen in all, spewed out of the machine. The warrants in hand, Reid went off to find Kyle and Roy and together they started the roundup of the citizens of Brookdale who had committed such heinous acts on Cory Campbell. It was a very hard day on everyone. Reid and company showed up at people's homes, places of business, shops, the park and even the diner to pick up the people on their list. Everywhere they went, the same looks of shock and dismay followed as people saw their friends and neighbors loaded into the cruiser and carted off to jail. After everyone had been hauled in Reid saw Kyle sitting in his office, his head in his hands. He entered the office once again without knocking. He could see the tears in Kyle's eyes, realizing how what he had done today was going to affect the families he knew. There were no words of encouragement he could offer Kyle, because that was often the case with this line of work; upholding the law meant you had to arrest those who broke it even if they were people you cared about.

Ruby came in and told Reid there was a call for him, it was the hospital. Reid took the call from a nurse saying Cory was asking to see him. Reid left for the hospital.

When he arrived in Cory's room, Cory was lying in bed with his eyes closed but Reid could see he was not sleeping. "You wanted to see me Cory?"

"I told you in the diner, that I didn't cut your brake lines. I was telling you the truth."

"I believe you Cory."

"Good, because I have an idea."


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: **Still do not and never will own Criminal Minds

Thanks again for all the reviews, PM's and encouragement

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After Reid left the hospital, he headed back to his motel room. He had to make some calls. He grabbed the phonebook from the desk drawer and started dialing.

"Ms. Hamner, this is Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid of the FBI, I wonder if I could ask you….."

"Lori Donaldson, this is Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid of the FBI, could you answer a few questions….."

"Marianne Cooper, Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid with the FBI, could you please tell me…."

He went through all the names that Cory had given him and now he needed to call Garcia.

"Hey Garcia, it's me, I need you to run a little search for me…."

Once he had Garcia on his latest endeavor, he headed back to the sheriff's station. He knew Kyle and Roy were feeling very badly about what they had seen and the action they'd had to take because of it. When he arrived at the station, Miriam and Colleen were there trying to convince Kyle to come home for dinner. Kyle, who was feeling he was a failure as a sheriff, felt he needed to stay at the station; that he had already missed too much of what went on in his town. Reid set about trying to convince Kyle that he needed to eat and rest or he would be no good to anyone. Finally Kyle agreed to go home for dinner if Reid would come to their home as their guest. Reid agreed as it was the only way to get Kyle out of the office.

The Rutherfords had a very comfortable home with a huge fireplace in the living room. The mantle was covered with family pictures. Miriam and Colleen refused Reid's offer of help in the kitchen, saying he should go and relax with Kyle. He admired a small table with a chessboard on it; each chess piece was antique and intricately carved. Kyle told him it had belonged to his grandfather who had taught him to play when he was a teenager, and they had enjoyed many hours at that board. His grandfather had left it to him when he died. Kyle said that it didn't get much use because none of the women in the house played.

"Well then we should take the opportunity to use it now." Reid said as he lifted the little table and put it between the armchairs. Kyle glanced at Reid, a little hesitant but Reid nodded and Kyle said, "Okay let's go."

Miriam and Colleen, busy in the kitchen, suddenly realized there was no sound coming from the living room. They looked in and saw two heads bent intently over the chessboard. Mother and daughter smiled at the scene then turned and smiled at each other.

They finished their game just in time for dinner. Reid enjoyed the game immensely; Kyle was an excellent player. He also found out that Miriam and Colleen were excellent cooks and the meal they made was delicious to say the least. While they were having coffee in the living room, Reid's cell rang. As the others watched, he pulled it out of his pocket, "Reid, oh hi Garcia, what have you got for me. Yeah. Okay. Where? Is that where they changed hands? Okay, thanks Garcia."

Kyle looked up at Reid, confused. Reid told Kyle to get some rest. Reid thanked the Rutherfords for their hospitality, told Kyle he would see him bright and early in the morning and left to return to his motel room. He had to plan how he was going to handle things in the morning. Kyle was not going to like this.

Reid stayed up for a while considering the best way to handle the situation and when he thought that he had it all figured out, he decided to turn in hoping he could get a good night's sleep.

The morning dawned bright and sunny and Reid awoke to light rays streaming through the curtains in his room. He got up showered and headed to the diner for some breakfast before meeting with Kyle. Once again the Rutherford gals were busy taking care of the breakfast crowd. Colleen greeted Reid with another of her beautiful smiles. He would miss those in the morning when he went home. He had his usual pancakes and sausages with a couple of cups of sugar laden coffee, and then he was on his way to the station. This would be an interesting morning.

Arriving at the station, he found Kyle and Roy already there with the addition of Dave Wagner, who had been moved from voluntary to full deputy with the sudden departure of Cory Campbell. He asked if they could all meet in Kyle's office; he had something to discuss with them.

After coming out of the office, Reid got into his loaned vehicle and headed for the service station. He had to see a man about a car.

Reid arrived at the service station to find Dom Melnick in the garage area at the back and Troy Olsen at the desk manning the pumps. When he entered the shop Troy said, "Oh Agent Reid, Dom is just finishing up the work on your SUV; it should be ready for you shortly."

"Thanks Troy, do you think I could go back and talk to Dom. I just want to assure myself that everything is okay with my vehicle. I'm kind of paranoid after what happened and I'd feel better talking to him."

"Oh sure Agent Reid, come right this way. Dom," Troy yelled, "Agent Reid is here and he wants to talk to you about his vehicle."

When Reid entered the garage, he saw his vehicle looking like nothing had happened to it. The dinted front end had been repaired and repainted and although he couldn't see he assumed the brakes were fixed as well. Dom smiled at him and said, "Well, what do you think; doesn't she look good as new."

"Dom, I'm sorry, this must be a very bad time for you with Val Simms being killed. I understand that you two were close, dating actually. It must have been a shock to you when she died, especially with an FBI agent in town to investigate. You knew, being the boyfriend that you would likely be questioned and you didn't want that did you Dom? You didn't want any close scrutiny placed on you or your business from an outsider who was used to looking into things and had a lot of resources at his disposal; resources that could uncover the little scam you have been running here for ages and no one had a clue." Dom's expression was shocked, not so much at what Reid was saying as that he had managed to find out about it.

"It appears that Troy got drunk one night at Houston's and let it slip to Cory about the little business you two had going on. Troy goes around and disables vehicles of women who are not apt to question you when you tell them what's wrong with their cars. You tell them they need a certain part and they believe you. So you remove their perfectly good part and put in a new one and take the used one and sell it, picking up a nice piece of change and no one is the wiser. Except that car parts can be traced and the parts from the cars of the women I talked to were sold in good working order at a chop shop in Indiana. Let me see, there's fraud, then theft, and then fencing stolen property over state lines, a federal offense and the biggie, conspiracy in the attempted murder of a federal officer. You and Troy will be going to a federal penitentiary for a very long time." He heard a noise behind him and turned to see Troy holding a wrench.

"Troy, put the wrench down, do you think I would be stupid enough to come here alone. If you look around you'll see Sheriff Rutherford and Deputies Butterfield and Wagner. I think you are now closed for business. I have a search warrant, and I'm sure I'll find some parts you've removed from the cars of your friends and neighbors, and I suspect I'll even find some from my own vehicle that you would have told me were damaged in the accident." He nodded at the deputies and they came forward with cuffs to make the arrests.

After Troy and Dom had been loaded into the cruisers Reid turned to Kyle, "Is there another mechanic in town; I think I'll have my SUV checked out before I head back to Virginia!"


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: **Don't own anything but my own characters

Last chapter folks thanks so much for all the feedback

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After getting Troy and Dom booked and the paperwork completed, Reid sat down and let out a long breath. "That has certainly been a busy few days"

Kyle had a concerned look on his face, "Truly Reid, I don't know what I would have done without you and your expertise in these matters. Maybe it was wrong of me to take this job. I mean, I've got no police experience. I wanted a way to serve my community but I realize now that people were literally getting away with murder right under my nose. I think the town needs someone better than me for this."

Reid looked at his hands for a moment before responding, "Kyle, I think you are the perfect man for this job. You are honest, decent and fair. You have integrity. But most of all, you had the sense to ask for help. I know from recent experiences, that is one of the hardest lessons to learn in life."

"Why do I think you're not talking about this case?" Kyle responded.

Reid looked at Kyle with a sadness that comes from lessons learned the hard way and said, "Someday, when it's not so fresh and I have better perspective, I'll tell you about it. Now getting back to our discussion, you have never been involved with crime or police, how could you be expected to know what to do."

Kyle looked like he was about to interrupt but Reid said, "Let me finish. I have had a lot of education, a lot more than most people will ever have, I can read 20,000 words a minute; have an eidetic memory and an IQ of 187. I also have the privilege of working with some of the finest deductive minds in the world and being surrounded by them every day teaches me what books and lectures can't. What I think you need is a little education, perhaps some lectures and seminars on deduction, procedure, criminalistics, that sort of thing. If you want me to, I can try and arrange something for you and sheriffs from surrounding areas through Quantico."

"You would really do that for us?" Kyle said, both surprise and relief evident in his voice.

Reid nodded, "If you want me to."

"That would be great; I don't know how to thank you."

"I do, promise me you'll stay on as sheriff."

Reid walked into Cory's room to find him sitting in an armchair. Although he still had an IV infusing into his right arm, he looked a little better than the day before, but unlike most patients, Cory would not look forward to being discharged. He would not be going home.

"You were right about Dom and Troy cutting my brake lines. Garcia traced the car parts to Indiana. They'll be going away for a long time."

"Did they admit to it?"

"Not at first and there were no prints on the underside. I'm sure Dom or Troy wiped them off. However we got lucky, the bank across the street has security cameras and when I requested the tapes, there was Troy, caught on tape, tampering with my brakes. They couldn't deny it after that."

"We also got federal warrants and arrested all the people from the DVD's, who molested you as a child."

"But I thought the statute of limitations ran out after seven years."

"No Cory, the statute runs out five years after you turn twenty-one. They'll all pay for what happened to you."

Tears welled up in Cory's eyes and eventually spilled over to flow down his cheeks. "Thank you," he said, his voice cracking.

"Cory, like I said, I hope your lawyer uses those DVD's to get you the psychiatric help you need. Please take that help."

Cory nodded, "You're going back now, to Virginia." When Reid nodded, he continued, "You'll be back, right, for my trial." Reid nodded again. "I guess I'll see you then."

"I guess so. Good luck Cory."

"Thanks, you too," Cory replied. Reid nodded, turned and left the room.

Reid went to his motel room to pack up his things, he had a long drive ahead of him and he wanted to get started. Once he was done packing, he headed for the diner to say good bye to Miriam and Colleen.

They were alone in the diner as the lunch rush was over. Miriam was cleaning in the kitchen and Colleen was filling salt and pepper shakers, when he came in. They both greeted him warmly. Colleen had the sweetest smile, he thought. He told them he had stopped in to say good bye before he set out on the road. Miriam thanked him for all he had done and said he was always welcome in their home. Before she went back to the kitchen, she gave him a big hug and begged him not to be a stranger. Then she discreetly left the room leaving Reid and Colleen alone.

Colleen blurted out, "I can't believe all that's happened in the last few days. Two guys I thought I knew turned out to be criminals, people we thought we knew in the community turned out to be perverts. You almost got killed twice and it's all my fault."

Reid looked at Colleen, reached over the counter and took her hand in his, "People hide behind facades," he said, "And only show others what they want them to see. I know all about that. None of this is your fault."

"But I told my Dad to ask you for help."

Reid hesitated before he continued, "And I'm grateful for that, I have just been through a couple of experiences that have made me question my belief in myself and my decision making." Colleen was starting to speak but Reid stilled her lips with his fingers. "I made a few bad decisions a while back and they changed my life. I went through a very rough time and the people around me, who love me, feel guilty that they didn't help me enough, guide me enough, notice earlier that I was in trouble, take your pick. I can't take anyone else's guilt right now. I have fought and am still fighting the battle to get back to a semblance of the man I used to be. I will never get him back completely because he had an innocence that, once lost, can never be recovered. However, coming here and meeting you and your family who, for whatever reason, had complete confidence in me, helped me. I was able to use my knowledge and skills to help catch a killer and that has made me say to myself, Spencer Reid, maybe you're tougher than you think."

"Please don't dwell on guilt or anything that happened here in the last few days. You have a lot of things to consider, remember, you have plans to make."

"I've been thinking I have to go somewhere. What's it like in Quantico? Do they need waitresses there?"

"Why Quantico?"

"Well you're there and I would know someone there." She looked at the questioning expression on his face, "Okay, okay, I just hate the thought that when you go back to Virginia, I'll never see you again."

"Well I don't think you have to worry about that. How many people did we arrest in the last two days? Seventeen. You know what that means don't you?" She was looking at him, baffled. "Trials, seventeen of them, and being the federal arresting officer and the collector of all forensic evidence, I will undoubtedly be called upon to testify. You will be so sick of me by the time it's all over. As for you coming to Quantico, if that's what you choose, I will always be glad to have a friend there. You are a beautiful person, inside and out, and I care for you, a lot, but I can't be right for any other person until I'm right within myself. The same goes for you. We both have some growing to do before we get there," he released her hand, reached up and cradled her face in his hands, her eyes glistened with unshed tears, and he caressed her lips with his in a kiss that was long, gentle and full of promise, "but never say never." With that he got up and walked to the door, turned to look at Colleen and with a little wink, he was gone on the long road back to Quantico. Spencer Reid was confident he could handle whatever awaited him there.

**THE END**

**I am thinking on a sequel to this story so you may not have seen the last of Colleen!**


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